SOMERSET — Thirteen candidates in contested races for six offices in the May 12 town election introduced themselves and answered questions from a panel and the audience at an event at the regional high school on Monday night. The event was sponsored by the Somerset Democratic Committee.

State Rep. Patricia Haddad moderated, and editors George Austin of The Spectator and Lynne Sullivan of The Herald News posed about a dozen questions before Haddad asked written audience questions during the two-hour forum attended by about 100 people.

Topics ranged from appointing the next police chief and school superintendent to improving cooperation in town government and between the two school committees. Another focus was the reuse of the Brayton Point and Montaup power plants.

Those participating were, for selectman, challengers David Berube, Stephen Mello and Steve Moniz; for moderator, incumbent Lucia Casey and challenger William Brownell; for treasurer, incumbent Kathleen Trafka and challenger Eric Schecter; for Somerset School Committee, three-year term, incumbent Robert Camara and challenger Melissa Terra, and for a two-year term, challengers Michael Botelho and Cheryl Crossley-Simmons; for Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee, challengers Stephanie Field and Victor Machado.

Three challengers in contention, reported absent because of prior engagements, were challenger Doris Rousseau for treasurer, Arastou Mahjoory for a three-year school board seat and Lorne Lawless for moderator.

The race for a five-year Playground and Recreation Commission went to incumbent Richard Silvia when David Albernaz recently withdrew his papers.

Asked for the top attributes of a police chief and whether to hire from within, Mello cited dedication, professionalism and education. He said to hire between from the force the two captains applying and that “to go outside would bring morale down.”

Moniz and Berube had similar answers.

Education and public relations abilities are key, Moniz said. He advocated “promoting from within” with a bonus of helping the budget by moving up one of the two captains (with the current chief’s recommendation not to fill the vacant captain’s post).

“The numbers make sense all the way around,” Berube concurred. He cited experience and leadership making the best chief.

All three supported the 30-person police force compromise reached at last week’s selectmen’s meeting. “If the chief is comfortable, then 30 is a good number,” Berube said.

Among hopefuls for the two- and three-year School Committee terms, Crossley-Simmons said, “There’s been too much change” when asked about qualifications for the dual role of superintendent-business manager under consideration.

“We need some stability,” said Crossley-Simmons, a former regional vocational school board member, while urging those in charge to promote from within.

Botelho, with finance and operations degrees, said the idea of combining the two posts made good fiscal sense. But overall the combined job “is not a good idea.”

Page 2 of 3 - Botelho said they need a proven leader, “someone who is going to make changes.”

Terra, a mother of five who has three in the town schools — who tied for a School Committee seat in a failed election last year — said they should reject hiring “a friend of a friend.”

The question to ask of the next superintendent, she said is, “Have you done" the job?

Camara, the board chairman finishing his first term, similarly said they need a change in vision and leadership. He said the pool from 25 applicants included “some fine candidates.”

“What should upset you is both school committees don’t seem to know what the other is doing,” Machado said in his introduction.

“Let me fix it,” said Machado, seeking his first elected regional committee seat while finishing his eighth year on the K-8 board.

Field, a regional building committee member who sought an open appointed seat last year, emphasized a range of parenting, a business degree and management work in the nonprofit sector. She said putting sound policies in place was key.

On the sticky issue of the public not having access yet to the track and tennis courts, Field said when the new high school is completed in mid-June the regional School Committee would establish a policy for safe use by the public.

Machado stated the policy should be addressed now.

Brownell, a Fall River lawyer who moved with his family with two children to Somerset four years ago, said that lack of public connection mixed with a volunteer spirit should be an asset as moderator.

When asked if the public was intimidated to speak at town meetings, Brownell said, “What needs to happen is Town Meeting people need to feel welcome, that their opinion counts and they’re going to be heard … and make a difference.”

Casey, a retired town educator looking to expand her 21 years as moderator, referenced her nephew of 20 years old and said, “Those people who really want to be heard are going to speak.”

Both agreed approaching a microphone and speaking publicly could be daunting for some.

The question was posed about what’s gone wrong in the treasurer’s office and how to learn from them. With tax bills months delayed, Trafka, the incumbent, openly said, “I am the maker of the current problems.” She cited poor communications and “half-truths," including improvements like online accounting that Trafka said she’s made.

She said the software program needs to be changed and asked to continue in the job.

Schecter, with an accounting degree and management of mutual funds, said he’s worked with peers in town governments that would be helpful. Both he and Trafka said they should follow recommendations of the state Department of Revenue report, though neither cited specifics.

Page 3 of 3 - The top DOR change was to change to an appointed treasurer-collector. The special Town Meeting recently voted that, but the state must approve it and the change could take months.

All three selectmen candidates said they were open to an audience suggestion to follow what happened in Salem and convert Brayton Point to a natural gas-fired plant.

“Yes, bring in natural gas,” said Mello, who works in the water-sewer department and is a union president. He noted an exiting gas line exists.

Berube, who emphasized his leadership running multiple town businesses, noted the power point is private but said “absolutely” if the owners were open to it.

Moniz, a former selectman and Planning Board member, said gas was safer and cleaner, and he’d want to consult with the fire and police chiefs before encouraging the plant owners to go in that direction.